Keeping Company
by katachresis
Summary: Christmas gift for Mixe Miroku decides to keep Inuyasha company during the night of the new moon. Shounenai, IxM.


This here is a Christmas giftfic for mah darlin Mixe ^^ Hope you enjoy it, love~ ^^  
  
Also, I want to take this time to thank everyone who's been reading my work and supporting me this year. I'm honored that you all enjoy my work! I hope you all have a lovely winter, and a great year to come. Thank you so much, you guys make me so happy!  
  
Mad props for beta-ing this go to Ophelia and Tdei. Thanks guys! ^^/  
  
--==--  
  
I sighed, kicking a rock irritably. It, of course, had to be time again. What an absolute pain in the ass. Sighing, I looked around, trying to figure out if I was far enough away that Kagome and the rest of her irritating friends wouldn't come after me.  
  
You think they'd understand, after I told them repeatedly, that I didn't want to see them on this night. You'd think it would make sense. I -did- have many rivals, and it was the perfect time for them to attack. Better to keep the other's out of harm's way.  
  
I sighed, sitting down under a tree, holding the Tetsaiga loosely over my lap, watching the light as it slowly faded. God, I wished it was tomorrow already.  
  
Then I heard it. A muffled curse and the crack of branches being bent too far the wrong way. Getting louder, the crashing sounding like a herd of lesser youkai. I groaned.   
  
I briefly considered leaving, before they found me, but gave up on that. Whoever had come out this far was obviously determined enough to keep chasing me. I sighed, leaned against the tree, and kept my eyes trailed on the source of the noise.  
  
It wasn't very long until he came into view. Miroku paused, smiling widely, and I grimaced. Of all the people who had to follow me out here, it had to be him.   
  
"Hey." He paused, clearly waiting for me to say something. I just glared at him. "I thought I'd come keep you company."  
  
"I don't need your company."  
  
He relaxed slightly, and continued walking towards me. Funny, I hadn't even noticed that he was nervous. His smile was as carefree as it ever had been.  
  
"No, but it'll make the time pass so much quicker."   
  
He wasn't getting it. "I don't -want- your company either." My hands tightened on my sword, and I idly wondered what it would be like to smack him over the head.  
  
Miroku just grinned and sat down next to me. "Beautiful night, isn't it?"  
  
I narrowed my eyes as I stared at him, going for intimidating, dangerous, homicidal. Certainly one of those would convince him to give up. "Go away, monk."  
  
He sighed, stretching his arms up, eyes half-closing. "Nice and quiet over here too. Peaceful."  
  
Obviously the usual tactics weren't going to work. I watched him, growing more annoyed by the minute. "... why are you here?"  
  
"I already told you." Miroku reached up, and I could feel his cold fingertips brush over the skin of my neck. "To keep you company."  
  
I blinked at him stupidly for a second, and his hand slid around my neck, pulling me closer. I froze, and our faces were so close that his blurred in my vision, and I could feel the warmth of his breath.   
  
My heart started pounding, and I could feel my skin warming.  
  
He chuckled, flopping back against the tree. He tucked his hands behind his head, and sighed.   
  
I watched him out of the corner of my eye, not exactly sure what to do, and getting really, really irritated. Maybe hitting him on the head and running off -was- the only viable solution.   
  
"Do you ever sleep?" He stared up, at nothing.  
  
I blinked, and looked back at him. "Of course I do."   
  
"... do you really?" His voice was soft... almost sad, and it made me catch my breath.  
  
I looked away, not wanting to lie to him again. Of course I didn't sleep. Not well anyway. And on these nights...   
  
On these nights, I was too scared to sleep at all.  
  
Beside me, he sighed, shifted slightly to bring his arms down into his lap. He looked down at them, and his face was covered in the gathering shadows. I watched him, as he ran his fingers along the prayer beads twined around his hand.  
  
"I don't, sometimes." He sighed. "Sometimes, I hear it. It's so loud.... chasing me, no matter how I try to outrun it." He broke off into a chuckle, looking back up at me. "Logically, of course, it's probably just the wind in the trees.... right?"  
  
I reached out to lay my hand on his shoulder, and realized with a start that the change had already happened. I let it hover between us, stared at it, just absorbing the human-ness of it. And then he reached up to tangle his fingers in mine.   
  
Looking up at him, I hardly recognized his face. The pain and the fear and the sadness was there, unmasked. The weakness that he tried to hide, but which must ultimately overwhelm him.  
  
He wasn't here to keep me company, I realized. Slowly, I leaned forward, wrapped my other arm around him, pulling him into an awkward embrace. He sighed, and clung to me. I could feel him tremble.   
  
I looked at the forest around us. It was almost pitch-black. I inhaled deeply, and all I could smell was Miroku's hair. It was earthy, with the faint musk of incense.   
  
Somehow, pervert that he is, he ended up kissing me. Or did I kiss him first? I really don't remember. I guess it doesn't matter.   
  
When I finally dragged my kimono over our heated bodies, it was with a smile. I can't remember a night that I slept sounder. 


End file.
